It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,828 to Bright, et al. to provide a socket having a flexible etched circuitry film positioned across a raised platform and a cover having a biasing plate. An IC chip, bonded to a film and positioned in a carrier can be tested by being placed over the film in the socket and biased there against by the cover.
Whereas the above described socket has many advantageous features, a problem of having a uniformity of force distribution over the mating contact areas exists. That is, the biasing plate provides a uniform force but cannot provide such a force for contact areas which are out of tolerance. Accordingly it is now proposed to provide a socket which has a high degree of uniformity of force distribution under even the most extreme out of tolerance conditions.